Final Hours
by Addy Robin
Summary: The world is ending in fifteen minutes. Arthur wouldn't want to be with anyone else. (FrUK)


"...Francis?"

Francis, still not asleep, cracked his eyes open. They had agreed to spend their last night - the night the world would end - together. So far, no changes had come up in terms of the Earth; no news reports, no sudden beacons...nothing had changed. But they knew, instinctually. They had to know, Arthur was sure. They weren't human - they were something else entirely.

So when Arthur had called Francis hours before, in a panic and nearly crying, Francis had come without complaint. He knew, and so did Arthur, that the world would be ending in a matter of hours. Time-zones didn't matter now; nothing did. No 'midnight' call, no 'alien invasions'...

In 15 minutes, the world as they knew it would come to an end.

"...Arthur?" Francis prodded his shoulder gently. Arthur jumped slightly before turning to face Francis - his eyes were red and slightly bloodshot; they had both cried in the hours before this...he smiled slightly, and Francis returned it. "What did you need?"

"...I'm not sure," Arthur whispered. "But I can't sleep."

"Neither can I." Francis smiled weakly. "Would you like to stay up?"

"...won't it hurt?" he asked softly. Francis shook his head, gently reaching up to stroke Arthur's cheek.

"I don't think so."

They were silent for a few moments before Francis pulled Arthur close again, meeting his eyes. Arthur saw that he was tearing up again, and it took everything he had not to tear up himself. No more tears...not now...

"You know, Arthur..." Francis whispered. "I always said that I would be the one to kill you. I fought and argued with you, I harmed you, and I...I did things that I am not proud of. But, now..." He chuckled sadly. "I guess none of it will matter. But I think I'm alright with it..." He was silent for a while, and Arthur debated asking Francis why he chose /now/ of all moments to tell him this...but then he spoke again. "I didn't want anyone else to kill you. I wanted to be the one, I wanted to be the only person who could do it. I know I wouldn't let anyone else kill me...and you know they tried," he teased weakly. "But...I wouldn't let them. It had to be you, Arthur Kirkland." He smiled weakly. "I wanted your face to be the last one I saw before I died."

Arthur was silent, slightly shocked by Francis's sudden honesty. Arthur, of course, had been certain that he loved Francis and wanted to spend his last hours with him, but Francis...beyond crying and making jokes, the other man hadn't said anything so serious the entire night. And now...

Francis smiled.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" he asked softly, pulling Arthur close. "Do you see, Arthur?"

Arthur glanced at the clock nervously. Eight minutes.

"Will you say it too?"

Arthur looked back to Francis, eyes wide. He couldn't mean...Arthur shook his head slightly, and Francis nodded sadly. "It has to be you, Arthur Kirkland. I can't die without hearing you say it at least once, to me..."

They were both silent for a few moments. Francis sighed, pressing his forehead to Arthur's and meeting his eyes. "We are wasting time. Time that we don't have...Arthur, there are seven minutes until this world comes to an end. If it is alright with you, I would like to spend the next two or three holding you and telling you how much I love you."

Arthur's heart leapt at the words; his stomach dropped. Seven minutes...realizing that now was not the time for hesitation, Arthur nodded quickly. Then, realizing again that now was not the time for shyness, he found his voice: "Yes. Please."

Francis smiled, taking Arthur's hand and meeting his eyes. "Arthur Kirkland..." he whispered softly. "I love you. I cannot imagine living in a world without you, and I am glad that I do not have to. I am glad that I am here with you, in this bed, holding you. You are so beautiful, and so perfect, and I am so in love with you. I have been in love with you for a very, very long time...I never, ever want to let you go. I never wanted to see you cry, and I never wanted to see you hurt, but...my duties as a country dictated that I make those things happen. But now...now, Arthur, nothing is stopping me. I can tell you all I want, as much as I want, that I love you. I love you, and I need you by my side, and I want you here with me for the rest of our lives. I know that won't be long, but...it's all I want. It's all I need. I love you, I love you so much, and..." He trailed off for a moment before finding his voice. "I truly love you. Thank you for being here with me."

Five minutes until the end of the world as they knew it.

Five minutes for Arthur to say everything.

Centuries worth of feelings, bottled up and hidden, and now he had five minutes to say them all...

"Four minutes," Francis whispered, tears in his eyes...four.

"Don't cry," Arthur whispered suddenly, leaning forward and kissing Francis's tears away. "Please, don't cry Francis...Francis, I can't say everything. There's not enough time. I can't do it, I want to, but I can't, there's not-"

"Then say the most important thing," Francis pleaded. "Say what you want me to hear...say what /I/ want to hear..."

"..." Arthur was silent a moment longer - just a moment. Then, he met Francis's eyes and took his hands again. "...Francis Bonnefoy?"

"Yes?" Francis smiled weakly, and Arthur returned it.

"I love you." There was silence, Francis grinning tearfully with Arthur still not believing that he had said it. But once he had started, there was no stopping him, and he continued on. "I am in love with you, so in love with you, and I have been for such a long time. Francis, I can't imagine life without you by my side, next to me, loving me, and I'm so glad I don't have to. I love you, I love you so much, and I never want you to leave me. We're going to die tonight, but I don't want to lose you...I'll find you. Wherever we go, if it's heaven, hell, /anywhere/...I swear on my country, I will find you. I will find you, just so that I can say it again, and again, and again. I love you, Francis Bonnefoy. I love you so much...thank you for loving me, too."

They were both silent, staring into each other's eyes. Time didn't matter anymore - now they were together. They needed nothing else. Nobody else...

The clock continued to count down the moments before the end.

Francis smiled at Arthur, and Arthur smiled back.

And ten seconds before the end of the world...

Arthur and Francis had their first, and last, kiss.


End file.
